About 5,584,473 internationals visited South Africa from January to June this year.
This is a 12.3% increase from the previous year.
According to statistics released by the Department of Tourism, visitor numbers remained higher year-on-year for the first two quarters of this year, despite protests by migration pressure groups.
This is also despite increased fuel price costs as a result of ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement issued on 28 May 2026, South African Tourism acknowledged that some travelers from African countries cancelled bookings due to unrest.
The Department said on Tuesday, African Arrivals were up by 14.3% for the first quarter and by 12.1% in June, compared to the previous year.
Visitors from the region (SADC) account for an estimated 75% to 76% of total arrivals.
They hail from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Botswana, while up to 24%, are from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
A chunk of foreign direct spending annually, was in the Western Cape, where visitors spent around R25.9 billion.
Patricia de Lille, the Minister of Tourism, said “the deliberate decision to diversify our tourism products is yielding positive results. The sustained growth in both regional and overseas arrivals reflects the resilience of our tourism sector and the effectiveness of the partnerships we have built with industry and our international markets.”
Picture of Boulders Beach, third most visited spot in the Western Cape.